Brian Wilson Headlines Benefit Concert for UMMC Mind Center

Beach Boys co-founder bringing 'California Sound' to Jackson

JACKSON, Miss. – Music lovers will have a chance to hear one of America’s greatest musicians and support Alzheimer’s disease research at a benefit concert featuring living legend Brian Wilson.

An award-winning singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Beach Boys, Wilson will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 28 at Thalia Mara Hall in downtown Jackson in what is expected to be a sold-out concert.

Wilson, along with fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine, will bring a little bit of California to Mississippi when he performs beloved classics during the concert to benefit the Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia Research, or MIND, Center, a national leader in Alzheimer’s research and patient care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

“Brian Wilson’s remarkable creativity has gifted the world with so much wonderful music,” said Dr. Tom Mosley, director of the MIND Center. “He will help us shine a light on Alzheimer’s and the funds raised will help us accelerate the pace of discovery towards effective treatments.”

Proceeds from the concert, presented by Trustmark Bank, will support the MIND Center’s research, diagnostic and outpatient care programs. Mosley and his team lead one of the largest and most comprehensive studies ever conducted to identify risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of cognitive decline.

“The huge toll to patients and families, and not to mention the economic impact of dementing illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, cannot be overstated,” Mosley said.

Since 2010, the MIND Center has brought together some of the nation’s leading medical institutions to study factors from mid-life that may predict brain and cognitive changes later in life. The study uses data collected from nearly 16,000 individuals over more than 25 years, enabling MIND Center scientists to look back in time and identify factors associated with the development of dementia.

The MIND Center Clinic opened in 2014 on UMMC’s campus to offer diagnosis and leading-edge outpatient treatment for patients experiencing memory loss and cognitive impairment.

“The MIND Center is an important program to the state of Mississippi,” said Ambassador John Palmer, chair of the MIND Center’s advisory board. “Not only is the center conducting groundbreaking research and bringing critical memory care services to individuals and families battling Alzheimer’s disease, it also contributes positively to our economy by attracting significant federal research dollars and top research talent to Mississippi.”

Called the Gershwin of his generation, Wilson has written and performed dozens of chart-topping songs, including the classics “I Get Around,” “Help Me Rhonda” and “California Girls.” The Beach Boys album “Pet Sounds” is considered one of the greatest records of all time.

Highlights of Wilson’s five-decade career include nine consecutive certified-gold records, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and two Grammy Awards. Wilson has also been recognized by Rolling Stone as one the greatest singers and songwriters of all time.

“This concert is the fifth in a series of unique and successful events which have raised awareness and funds for the MIND Center,” said Patricia McClure, chair of the MIND Center events committee. “As a Mississippian and a family member of someone who battled this terrible disease, I am proud to know that Mississippi is a national leader in Alzheimer’s research and clinical care.”

Wilson embarks on a worldwide tour this spring to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Pet Sounds” and mark the final time he will perform the album in its entirety.

If you would like to support the MIND Center or become a sponsoring host for the concert, call 601-815-4237 or email mindcenter@umc.edu for more information.

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